The Demise of Bunny Slippers Three
by Blue Obsidian Butterfly
Summary: Shaw is adamant the bunny slippers are never seeing the light of day. Root has other ideas.
**Disclaimer: Not mine. I hope to own some bunny slippers soon though.**

 **A/N: Wrote this at midnight after the idea got me out of bed. I blame Root and those slippers that are taking over my life.**

The fuzzy balls of fluff dangle from Root's fingers as she holds them up, somehow managing to make them look suggestive despite their less than even remotely sexy nature.

All around them people pass by, browsing the various isles that make up the department store but the pair remain locked in battle in the sleepwear section. Shaw stands stock still, glaring at the bunny slippers as if they were a bomb. Actually she'd probably find a bomb less intimidating.

"Not happening Root" she grounds out, the third time she's said no in as many minutes, not that it's had any effect. Root's smirk remains firmly in place, every inch oozing amusement and Shaw's scowl deepens in response. She didn't even know why she was still there-having an increasing pointless argument with the hacker over a ridiculous pair of slippers that Root apparently thought she would actually convince her to wear.

She would have better luck getting John to wear a tiara. Or Finch to wear casual clothes- that one amuses her but she's careful not to let the slight smirk that threatens with the thought to show, least Root get the wrong idea and think she's agreeing.

Stupid, smug Root who's grinning at her like she's already won. She sets her jaw, deciding that the argument is over and she stalks away, making it to the end of the aisle before she's stopped by a hand on her shoulder, long slender fingers digging in through the fabric of her jacket, halting her movements. If it was anyone else they would be on the ground by now but Root doesn't have boundaries and Shaw- despite her better judgement has gotten used to it. She makes sure to glare as she turns, raising an eyebrow slightly, silently demanding an explanation.

Root doesn't say anything, she simply holds the slippers up again and Shaw opens her mouth to say no but something happens- she's still not sure entirely what but if anyone asked she was say she temporarily lost her mind- and suddenly she's been sucked into a pair of deep brown eyes that she has to crane her neck up to see and they plead with her, not unlike Bear and, without her permission she finds her head bobbing up and down. Before she can process it Root bounds off happily, causing her to blink in surprise and she spends the next ten minutes contemplating her sanity (and wondering if Root has someone acquired some kind of new hypnosis skill) while she waits in line for Root to buy the ridiculous pair of fluffy nonsense that she was sure would never see the light of day again, let alone make their new home on her feet.

Shaw stares at the slippers from across the room. They sit there innocuously, taunting her from were Root has haphazardly (but probably deliberately) tossed them into the corner.

The thing is; it's cold in the subway, so cold she can't feel her feet and all her socks have mysteriously disappeared within the space of a week. Mysterious my ass, Shaw thinks, turning over slightly to glance at Root. She's sound asleep, buried deep beneath the blankets so only her head is visible. She looks peaceful, the worried lines in her face all smoothed out as rhythmic puffs of air escape her. Shaw watches her for longer than necessary before she catches herself, turning back to her current nemesis. It's pretty warm in the bed and she actually wouldn't mind staying but Bear needs to be fed and it's time to get up anyway. She mentally weighs her options: she needs to get up and Root is still asleep. She could steal a pair of her socks, presuming she could actually find them but they were always too big and slid around too much on her feet. Conveniently the slippers were exactly her size-no doubt the Machine's doing but she wouldn't be caught dead in them. Then again there was no-one down here besides herself, Root and Bear, the former of which was sleeping soundly beside her. If she could get Bear fed and check the monitors quickly enough no-one would ever have to know.

She lets out a slight sigh in irritation before carefully removing herself from the bed, glancing back to make sure Root is still asleep. Satisfied, she stalks silently across the floor, feet recoiling in retaliation as the shaggy purple rug does little to keep the chill at bay. She snatches up the slippers, deliberately not looking at them as she slides them onto her feet. They are soft and-ok pretty warm too but she still refuses to look down as she makes her way towards the subway car, greeting Bear.

She's in the process of giving Bear a good pat- she's got a lot of time to make up for when she senses movement behind her and she turns just in time to catch Root's smirk, which seems to cover most of her face. She's wearing a robe over the tank top she stole from Shaw yesterday (not that Shaw's complaining since it was only getting in the way at the time) and the leggings she'd thrown on before bed. Shaw's eyes travel down Root's ridiculously long legs, stopping on the bunny slippers that adorn the hacker's feet, an amused smirk beginning to tug up the corners of her lips before she remembers the reason her feet are currently warm.

"They suit you" Root comments and Shaw glares, ripping them off her feet as if they were poisonous. It's too late, the damage has already been done and the shit eating grin on Root's face confirms it. Shaw sighs but smirks a moment later as she gets an idea and she tosses one of the offending objects out the subway car door. Bear clambers excitedly after it, retrieving it in an impressive amount of time before dropping the now slobber covered ball of fluff in front of Shaw, wagging his tail.

"Good boy" she praises, giving him an extended pat. Root, more amused than deterred by the display of affection simply smiles dotingly at the sight, warmth filling her.

"Well there goes another pair." She says, her words lost on Shaw as she focuses on the tug of war game she's started with the dog and remaining slipper. She makes a mental note to buy another pair as she debates whether she can fetch her phone and take a photo before Shaw notices.

The Machine is already ahead of her.


End file.
